Autonomism

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Dhalmain Island by Naelin

For many centuries, the people of the island of Dhalmain have maintained a polytheistic pantheon of gods that represent the Laws of the Universe, under the religion they call Autonomism in reference to its origin myth where these basic forces of nature were autonomous and able to wonder and create.

Autonomists would usually follow the teachings and works of the "temples" dedicated to one or a few gods: These temples are branches that, while still all following the same religion and concepts, choose to focus on one specific law of the Universe which they will associate with specific professions and ways of life and as such will work and act for the interests of those groups, and try to bring people under their scope by advertising the professions they cover.

Origin Myth

In the Autonomist genesis, the first thing to exist when nothing existed was Curiosity. From the curiosity of how the first thought was before the next appeared Time, and from the question of where was that time happening appeared Space.

Both Curiosity and her children kept wondering and Laws of the Universe kept appearing as the answers to those questions, until the Law of Physics wondered whether anything would ever defy them, and enabled Life, which didn't yet have the components to actually exist.

This realization formed Matter and The World, and eventually Chemistry who, wondering the same question again, made life appear in The World.
When Life appeared, it had inside a new terrible Law of the Universe: Intention, who devoured Curiosity and kept her all for themselves, making the rest of the Laws lie devoid of autonomy, unable to create new concepts again, while living beings evolved ways to conquer all other laws forever.

The Laws of the Universe

Alocardenas

The Curiosity

The first and original Law of the Universe. She created Time, Space, Directions and Dimensions.
She represents wonder, creation and the search for answers.
Her followers pursue a balance between questioning all matters taken for granted while staying cautious of the consequences of one's actions.

Alocárdenas by Naelín

Presides over:

Philosophers
Scholars
Teachers
Librarians
Authors
Linguists

Rheshnaghty

The Intention

The child of Chemistry and the final Law, which is imbued in all living things.
They ate Curiosity, ending the cycle of creation of new laws.
They were considered a destructive, egoist force, until Lush Enis drastically changed the temple's direction into using the "The Gift of Intention" as a force for the good of the community.

Rheshnaghty by Naelin

Presides over:

Therapists, Warriors, Healers, Fertility Matchmakers, Contact Weavers, Bankers, Accountants, Merchants, Thieves

Gleamauros

The Time

The first child of Curiosity.
He represents patience and opportunity. His followers strive for eternity and pursue the advancement of body preservation methods, despite funerary works being under the patronage of Regicielo.

Presides over:

Farmers, Weavers, Lighthouse keepers, Musicians, Poets, Singers

Primarite

The Space

The second child of Curiosity.
She represents infinity and expansion. She is often paired with her brother Gleamauros as an indivisible duo.
Her followers believe in the intrinsic value of seeking expansion and striving for more.

Primarite by Naelin

Presides over:

Astronomers
Explorers
City Planners
Dancers

Termomin

The Directions

The third child of Curiosity.

Presides over:

Sailors
Traveling Merchants
Cartographers

Isimoje

The Dimensions

The fourth child of Curiosity.
They represent nuance and the depth and richness of the world.

Presides over:

Architects, Mathematicians, Carpenters, Masons, Taxidermists, Tailors

Dencaza

The Physics

The child of the previous four Laws.
He enabled the existence of life for the first time by wondering if anything would defy them.
Followers of Dencaza take the Autonomist genesis story as a directive to fulfil their law's curiosity by striving to break the laws of the universe with scientific advancements.

Presides over:

Blacksmiths
Gymnasts
Jewelers
Scientists

Flejnathry

The Matter

The child of Physics.
They represent the love for the material world, the environment, and the pleasures of the flesh, and the physical world that nurtures and get nurtured by everything it contains.
Their followers believe that the physical world is the only thing that can be proven.

Presides over:

Miners, General artisans, Park rangers, Herders, Lumberjacks, Massagists, Arborists, Prospectors, Sculptors

Vhas

The World

The child of Matter.
It is the nurturing world we all live in. Vhas represents the worldly nature of the social creatures, and the ability to form alliances, manage relationships and become well known in society.

Presides over:

Spies, Service Jobs, Advisors, Actors, Pact-keepers, Translators, Jesters, Prostitutes, Couriers, Parliamentarians

Regicielo

The Chemistry

The child of The World. She created life, and therefore Intention.
She represents change, and the cycle of life and death.
Her followers believe life is sacred above everything, and embrace scientific pursuits and the art of cooking.

Regicielo

Presides over:

Chemists, Cooks, Bakers, Brewers, Painters, Glass Blowers, Funerary Workers, Midwives

Type

Religious, Other

Demonym

Autonomist

Subsidiary Organizations

• Temple of Flejnathry
• Temple of Regicielo
• Temple of Rheshnaghty

Divines

• Alocardenas, the Curiosity
• Dencaza, the Physics
• Flejnathry, the Matter
• Gleamauros, the Time
• Isimoje, the Dimensions
• Primarite, the Space
• Regicielo, the Chemistry
• Rheshnaghty, the Intention
• Vhas, The World

Location

Dhalmain Island

Related Traditions

• Dhalmanite Funerary Practices

Related Ranks & Titles

• Autonomist Priest

Related Ethnicities

• Dhalmanite

Related Myths

• Autonomist Afterlife
• Autonomist genesis

Related Historical Events

• 244 E.Alz
  Founding of the town of Primarin

The High Rust

Sunset in the mountains by Sergey Pesterev

A lot of Autonomists, especially many followers of Regicielo, the Chemistry, think that The High Rust was her way of showing that she regained Curiosity, and the ability to wonder.
There is much debate about the reasons, and whether it was revenge against life or merely a new law being born, and many followers believe and fear that other new laws might start being created again.

Labour Unions in Dhalmain

In the Republic of Dhalmain, the organizations of followers of each of the Laws (the law's "Temple") took the role of labour unions and guilds.
Besides their religious teachings, works and proselytizing, each temple works to protect the interests of the professions their Law is a patron of.
This created some unlikely alliances on the island, such as mental health therapists, warriors and fertility houses lobbying for each other in ways that would appear as truly bizarre to foreigners.